President William Ruto has commended Kenya Ports Authority for achieving a historic milestone in 2024, authorizing bonus payments to staff after the Port of Mombasa surpassed its 2 million TEU container traffic target four years ahead of schedule. The achievement marks a watershed moment for East Africa's busiest maritime gateway and underscores the authority's operational transformation under rising regional trade demand.
The Port of Mombasa processed 2.005 million TEUs in 2024, a significant jump from 1.623 million TEUs recorded in 2023. This 24 percent surge in container throughput translated to a corresponding rise in total cargo volumes, which reached 40.99 million metric tons last year compared to 35.98 million metric tons the previous year. The performance figures represent the highest single-year throughput in the port's modern operational history.
Presidential Recognition and Staff Rewards
Addressing attendees at the signing ceremony for industrial park development agreements, President Ruto highlighted KPA's accomplishment as evidence of disciplined execution and strategic vision. "Allow me to commend the Board, management and staff of the Kenya Ports Authority for they have done a commendable job," the President stated. "I want to authorize that the staff of Kenya Ports Authority be paid a bonus this year for the good work they have done. In fact, KPA has already attained the target of 2 million TEUs, which was their target for 2028."
AfreximBank Partnership Unlocks $3 Billion Infrastructure Investment
The ceremony also marked the formal execution of lease agreements between Kenya Ports Authority and AfreximBank, as well as between the Special Economic Zones Authority and AfreximBank, covering developments at Dongo Kundu and Naivasha. The agreements fall within a broader $3 billion Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Kenya and the African Export-Import Bank, designed to attract private-sector investment into strategic infrastructure projects.
The Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone, positioned adjacent to the Port of Mombasa, will encompass industrial parks, free trade zones, a tourism and meetings industry complex, business service facilities, and mixed-use commercial and residential developments. President Ruto described the project as transformative, emphasizing its potential to reduce Kenya's dependence on imported industrial goods that currently drain foreign exchange reserves. "The Mombasa Special Economic Zone is more than a development project; it is a gateway to prosperity, a bridge to industrial competitiveness, and a launchpad for regional trade," he said.
AfreximBank President Professor Benedict Okey Oramah outlined the strategic rationale for positioning Dongo Kundu as a logistics and manufacturing hub. Leveraging its proximity to the port, the zone will accommodate logistics operations, manufacturing facilities, petrochemical processing, pharmaceutical production, and general trade activities. The development builds upon a 2016 MoU with Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency, which established the foundational framework for bilateral cooperation in port and infrastructure development.